Ayla and Pokémon: A New World
by OCxShockzzz
Summary: A young girl from Earth, rejected by almost all the people around her, stumbles into the world of Pokémon following an encounter with the new kid at school. Helped by a few talented trainers, she'll embark on a journey of adventure and romance - Especially romance... Pearlshipping-ish. Pairing Ash/Dawn/OC. First Story! R&R
1. Chapter 1: Ayla

**Author's Note - PLEASE READ**

To start, this is my first story so please don't hold something back if you feel like it should be said. I'm open to suggestions. Also, this first chapter is essentially background and filler. All 3,000+ words in this chapter take place on Earth so if you were hoping for some quickie read, this is definitely not the place the look. I want to see if people like my writing style, so I'm taking it slow to start. I have absolutely no writing experience except for what I did back in high school and am pretty much doing this just because I was bored. My goal isn't to be the next J.K. Rowling, it's simply just to have fun with this. But I still want to write well while having fun, so please R&amp;R. Thanks!

* * *

It was the day that would change everything.

But it began no differently than any other. Ayla woke up, brushed her teeth, and took a quick shower. As the water trailed down her pale skin, she thought about what she'd have in store for her today.

_Just another crappy day at this crappy school with a bunch of crappy people. So predictable. Life's been crap since mom passed_, she thought, stepping out of the shower. She began toweling herself off. Once done, she let the towel drop and gave herself a once-over.

At 14 years old, she'd gotten lucky in the genetics lottery. She'd inherited her mom's dainty figure but reasonable assets. A large B cup and full rear contributed to the overall look and gave her a body many would kill for at her age. A heart-shaped face framed by dirty-blonde hair completed the look, but it was the piercing blue-green eyes that stood out.

Completing the appraisal, she finished getting ready for school and quickly left before her dad could wake up.

Like she expected, the day was uneventful. Up until the end of her morning classes, at least.

Ayla could hear nothing but the rain pattering against the window. She'd tuned out her teacher's droning long ago in favor of the quiet rain. It wasn't that she didn't care about the lesson - she'd just already learned it at her last school and decided to let her mind wander.

_Damn this class is taking forev-_

As if to appease her, the bell pierced her thoughts. Ayla sighed and stood up, quickly packing away her things. She didn't want to get caught up by any classmates.

_Not like they'd talk to me anyways._

Ayla had never gotten along well with the kids around her. The girls disliked her because she came from a so-called "upper-class" school, and the boys disliked her because the girls disliked her. Ayla tried to explain that she moved schools because her mom passed, but everyone still viewed her as someone who believed that they were better than the rest.

Ayla thought about her mom as she walked towards the cafeteria. After her mom passed in a freak car accident, Ayla's life had been nothing but a downwards spiral. Her dad became reclusive and abusive. He quit his job and turned to drinking. Their income effectively became zero and she was forced to leave her private school. She had to move from all her friends behind and essentially start a new life. Ayla didn't have a problem with public school, but her classmates judged her without even glancing at the facts.

Pulling a sacked lunch from her backpack, Ayla looked around the cafeteria. Everyone was seated in their normal spots and she headed over to her 'designated' table.

_'Outcast Island',_ she thought with a bitter smile.

It was the name given to her lunch table. Everyone here was either disliked or different in some way. Even the people that sat here didn't talk to each other. Located in the corner of the room, it was the perfect location for those who never really fit in with a crowd.

Ayla sat down on an empty bench. She figured this would just be another uneventful lunch, and dejectedly pulled out a sandwich. But before she could start eating, she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. Surprised, she twisted in her seat to find the source of the interruption.

Standing behind her was a boy. Ayla had been at the school for almost a year, but she'd never seen him around. He gave a small smile and pointed to the spot next to her. Ayla just stared at him. Nobody ever acknowledged her, much less smiled at her. She was wondering who this kid was when she remembered that she'd never responded.

"Oh, did you want to sit there?" she quickly asked.

The boy smiled again and nodded.

Ayla couldn't help but smile back at the boy. He took his seat and Ayla used the opportunity to examine him.

Short. Black hair. Glasses. Average facial features. Nothing stood out to Ayla as why this kid would be over on Outcast Island. She decided that she might as well get to know the only person who'd approached her in almost a year.

"Hey kid. What's your name," she asked.

The boy looked up from his lunch with a surprised look on his face and reached into a backpack, pulling out a notepad. He began writing. Ayla was confused until he flipped over the page and lifted it up. On it was a single word:

**Sam**

_Nice name_, she thought with a small smile. "I'm Ayla."

Sam gave an enthusiastic thumbs up and went back to eating his food.

Ayla furrowed her brow as she wondered why the Hell this kid wasn't saying any-

The realization washed over her like a wave and she stared at Sam.

"You can't talk, can you?"

Sam shook his head to confirm. He began writing once again. Ayla slowly started eating as she watched him hastily scribble into his notepad. It wasn't long before Sam held up the pad once more.

**"The doctor's tell me that it's some kind of issue with my vocal cords, and that I shouldn't expect to ever be able to speak. It doesn't really bother me though. It's easier for me to see who someone really is by just listening and looking at them. I don't need to talk to understand. I'd rather listen anyways."**

Ayla grinned and replied, "So you've known me for what, two minutes? Can you tell me who I am, 'really'?"

Sam immediately grabbed his pen and started writing. Ayla leaned on her elbow and watched the newcomer. She was fascinated by Sam. It was understandable of course. She hadn't talked to anyone her own age for a long time and was almost desperate for human contact. Whatever time wasn't spent at school was reserved for reading and video games, her favorite pastimes. She loved being able to get immersed in a world that wasn't her own. She'd spend hours cooped up in her room, avoiding her dad's drunken rages. Her nose was either buried in between the pages of a fantasy novel (her favorite genre) or her eyes were glued to the screen of an old Gameboy. She'd received the machine along with a couple Pokémon games as a going-away gift from her friends at the private school. She treasured it more than anything and would spend hours upon hours getting lost in the colorful, pixelated world.

Ayla was jolted out of her pondering by a soft tap. She turned to Sam and saw that he was holding the notepad out to her. Ayla picked it up and began reading.

**"You aren't a person who's easy to read, but I'll do my best. Judging by the fact that you're sitting at this table, you aren't friends with any of the kids here. I look at you, however, and see absolutely nothing wrong with you. You're attractive, you can talk, you can hear, and you can laugh. So it's nothing physical that prevents you from interacting with the others. I'm going to guess that you're simply misunderstood. Maybe you said something or did something - maybe you didn't do anything at all. But you've been rejected. I can tell by your ability to smile and talk to me that you're strong. You haven't let your isolation get to you completely. This is all I can really tell by now, but I'm hoping I got some of it right?"**

Ayla's mouth had slowly dropped as she read through the paragraph. She had to reread it to make sure she wasn't imagining things.

_How the fuck does this kid - after two minutes of conversation - already know this much about me?, _she wondered. It was almost surreal. She'd basically had her entire existence spelled out in front of her, and could feel tears starting to form at the corners of her eyes. She quickly wiped them away.

Ayla gave a weak smile and looked back at Sam. A worried expression was plastered across his face. Ayla could understand that, due to her reaction, he might be concerned that she'd been offended by his analysis. She placed a hand on his shoulder to ease his worries.

"You nailed it," Ayla said softly.

Sam smiled and returned to his lunch.

**.oOo.**

This became the daily routine for the two outcasts. They'd suffer through their morning classes until the lunch bell finally released them, find each other in the cafeteria, and simply talk. It was relaxing for both of them and gave Ayla a chance to actually interact with another person her age.

She relished these moments.

_After months of being ignored by my peers, I have someone to talk to. Or communicate with, I guess. The talking is pretty much one-sided_, Ayla thought with a chuckle.

They traded phone numbers and sent messages to one another daily. Ayla wasn't constantly reading books and playing video games anymore. She'd added a third hobby to her repertoire - texting Sam. Hundreds and hundreds of messages each day. They practically did everything together, even when miles apart.

There were no romantic feelings between the two. They both understood that they each needed a specific thing, and the other supplied it. Ayla needed someone to speak to, and Sam needed someone to listen to. They formed a perfect symbiotic relationship that let the other de-stress and relax. And they were happy with that. Ayla shared everything with Sam. Her likes, her dislikes, her hobbies, her family-life, everything.

When she discovered they shared a love of Pokémon, she was ecstatic. They could talk for hours about the game, never once getting bored. There were some days where it was literally the only thing they would talk about. It became their favorite past-time, and they both agreed that they'd love nothing more than a world where Pokémon were real.

Ayla learned more about Sam as well. He considered himself a bit of an inventor, tinkering around with machines to see what they were capable of. He'd spent the past two years working on a secret project, and even Ayla couldn't pry away any other details than that. But she didn't mind. She had Sam.

In Ayla's eyes, her life had become perfect. She was no longer constantly depressed and it was all thanks to the mute kid who stumbled into her life.

Ayla knew, however, that bad lucked always followed her.

It was almost five months after meeting Sam. The school day had just ended and Ayla hadn't been home for more than 10 minutes before she started texting her friend. She smiled, knowing that he'd always respond instantly.

A: Hey :)  
S: Hi :)  
A: Still on the bus?  
S: Almost at my stop.  
A: Cool cool. Did you see the trailer for the new Pokémon game?  
S: Yes! It looks awesome!  
A: I know right! Now you know what to get me for my birthday next week ;)  
S: Haha I may have already gotten you something ;P  
A: I was kidding haha! You don't need to get me anything.  
S: Too late lol.  
A: Aww. Well thanks :) :)

Ayla sat waiting for Sam's response. She'd never had to wait more than a minute before Sam would reply, so she was surprised when a full twenty minutes had passed with no word from him.

_His phone probably just ran out of power_, Ayla mused. She hopped into bed and pulled out her Gameboy, loading up her Pokémon game. She was currently grinding her Pokémon for the Elite Four using Sam's technique. He had showed her one day during lunch, and Ayla couldn't help but smile looking back at that moment. But as the hours ticked by, she grew increasingly worried.

_This is so unlike Sam..._

A knock at the door jolted Ayla from her thoughts and she rushed downstairs. Her dad would be passed out by this time, and she wasn't worried about waking him. When she opened the door, a fireman stood on the porch with a phone in his hand. Sam's phone.

"Are you Ayla?" the fireman asked.

Ayla couldn't do anything but nod. Fear had gripped her heart and prevented her from making a sound.

"Do you know a kid by the name of Sam Miller?"

_Oh God no. Please..._ Ayla jerked her head in a stiff confirmation.

The fireman sighed. "There was an accident earlier today," he began. "Sam was struck by a drunk driver while exiting a school bus. We arrived as soon as we could but it appeared that he was killed instantly. There's nothing we could have done. I am so, so sorry you have to hear this news."

Ayla felt her throat close up.

_No. This can't be real. It just can't. This is a joke, right? Right?_

"The reason we're here is because there was nobody at his home to receive the news. When we looked at his phone, we saw that he was in the middle of typing a message to you before he was hit by the truck. You were the only one in his contacts."

The fireman held out the phone to Ayla, who painstakingly reached out and took it from him. Her hands shook like leaves in a tornado.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the fireman said softly before turning away. Ayla quietly closed the door behind the fireman.

Not making a sound, Ayla made her way up to her room and sat on the bed. Minutes passed as she sat there paralyzed. She finally remembered that she hadn't read Sam's message, and quickly found it in his drafts:

S: You're welcome :) But of course I was going to get you a gift. You mean more to me than anyone.

Then it hit her.

It was over. Everything was over. Her very reason for living was gone. She had nothing but an alcoholic dad, an empty bank account, and a shitty social life.

Tears came streaming down her cheeks as she buried her face in a pillow, quietly sobbing. She cried as much as when she received the news about her mother. Ayla couldn't believe it was happening again. She stayed curled up under the blankets as the sun came up the next morning. She stayed that way even until the morning after that, long after her tears had dried up. For more than 24 hours, Ayla couldn't bring herself to leave the bed.

The sun glaring into her eyes for the second day in a row was what finally pushed Ayla to get out of bed. When she sat up, she decided to go to Sam's house.

_Might as well meet his parents. Maybe they'd like to meet the only kid Sam was friends with_, Ayla thought bitterly as she walked downstairs. Stopping only to grab some cash from her dad's wallet, she quickly headed outside.

Ayla had never been to Sam's house. She only knew where it was because Sam had given her his contact information when they exchanged phone numbers. Calling for a taxi, Ayla sat on the curb with her head down. Sitting silently, she listened to the wind and trees. It wasn't long before the cab showed up. Ayla hopped inside, gave the driver Sam's address, and stared out the window. She wasn't in the mood for conversation.

Ayla didn't think about much as the cab made its way through intersections and past buildings. She simply stared. She wasn't even aware of the fact that she'd spaced out until the she heard the cab driver saying they'd arrived. She tossed him enough cash to cover the fare and quickly got out.

Ayla didn't hesitate. She simply walked up to the house and knocked on the door. And waited. And waited. She tried again, but with a firmer knock. This time, however, the force of the knock slowly pushed open the door. Realizing nobody was home, Ayla contemplated leaving.

_When else might I get to see Sam's house? Might as well take a look to see what his home-life was like_.

She stepped inside and looked around. To Ayla, the house was... ordinary. It looked like any other house.

_Did I expect something different?_ chuckled Ayla. But it was a humorless laugh. She wandered around, trying to find something that would justify her curiosity of the house.

_Nothing... nothing... nothing._

The only room she hadn't searched was Sam's. She quickly made her way over to it. She knew it was his by the Pokémon posters stretching across the door.

The ghost of a smile touched Ayla's lips. _Only Sam_.

She slowly opened the door and stepped inside. Ayla felt a gasp escape her lips as she took in the sight around her.

Scrap parts and machinery covered the room. Wires, cables, LED screens, buttons, triggers, motherboards, and circuitry were all scattered across the floor. Machines with strange lights and buttons displayed numbers and symbols Ayla couldn't even begin to understand.

_Guess he really was an inventor. This is some seriously crazy shit_.

As her eyes scanned the room, they stopped on a small desk in the corner. It was the only part of the room not hidden by the scrap metal and parts, and grabbed Ayla's interests. She made her way over and examined the items on the table. When she realized what was there, a chill ran down her spine. A shiny new Nintendo DS was placed next to an envelope. In Sam's loopy handwriting read a single word:

**Ayla**

The young girl didn't believe in ghosts or the supernatural, but it'd be a lie to say she wasn't terrified at that moment. Opening the envelope with trembling fingers, she let out a breath when she saw the first two words:

**Happy Birthday!**

_Just the birthday card and gift he'd mentioned before, _she thought, laughing at her own expense.

Ayla cleared a space on Sam's bed and sat down to read the surprisingly short note. She knew Sam didn't say much, but when he did, it was always well thought out and elaborate. It was unlike him to write so little. Regardless, she began reading.

**Ayla-  
Thank you. I know it's your birthday, but I feel like this day is just as special to me. You've been more than I could have hoped for in a friend and hope this gift will show just how much you mean to me. A new life awaits us.  
-Sam**

If her tear ducts hadn't run dry by this point, Ayla was sure she'd be sobbing again. Instead she picked up the DS, wondering what Sam's message meant.

_A new life awaits us?_

There was no game inside the slot, but she powered it up anyways. There were no loading screens, it simply started. Familiar music filled her ears as the sound of the Pokémon start screen began. Ayla had a smile plastered on her face up until the splash screen finally displayed itself.

_Pokémon Rebirth? I've never even heard of that... Did Sam make me my own game?_

There was no usual professor to welcome her to the world of Pokémon. It simply asked for a name. Ayla, unfamiliar with the DS's touchscreen, slowly typed in her name.

_A...Y...L...A...Enter_

The moment she pressed that final key, the screen began flashing. Ayla sat frozen, unable to tear her eyes away from the display. Hundreds of colors appeared before her eyes as the music sped up. She tried letting go of the DS but her fingers were firmly locked. Faster and faster the colors flashed as her vision swam. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as Ayla's sight slowly turned to black. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was the familiar _blip-blip-blip_ of a new character entering the world of Pokémon.


	2. Chapter 2: Blackouts

**Author's Note - PLEASE READ**

First of all, in my story, we're going to pretend as if the Pokémon anime never existed. My OC (although from our Earth) has never heard of Ash and the rest of the cast. All of her Pokémon knowledge comes from the games. Don't like it? Sorry. But it makes my story much easier to tell.

Second of all, thank you to everyone that read and reviewed my first chapter. I received some great suggestions from those of you that PM'd me ideas, and will try to incorporate as much of them as I can. Even if I don't include yours, don't stop the suggestions! Maybe your next one is exactly what I need to keep the story going.

Lastly, I thought I'd mention something as my story was just getting started. Chapters will be uploaded a bit less frequently than I'd hoped, due to the fact that I've gotten a summer job. This gives me a lot less time for writing. So I believe at best... 1 chapter a week? Maybe every 2 weeks? Not entirely sure just yet.

Thanks again, and here's Chapter 2 of Ayla and Pokémon: A New World.

* * *

_Ouch_

Rubbing the back of her head, Ayla slowly sat up. Blinking her eyes open, the young girl took in her surroundings. Ayla's breath caught in her throat as she looked around.

_Where the Hell am I?_, she thought. The last thing she remembered was sitting in Sam's bed, booting up a DS. The thought of Sam pinched her heart, and she shook her head trying to clear the memory.

_Not the time to be worrying about him._

Ayla stood up and examined the unfamiliar environment. The sun was directly above her, indicating it was about midday. Leafy, green trees, shrubs and grass surrounded her, completely blocking out any sign of civilization. Except for the chirping of insects and the sound of a soft breeze whistling through the plant life, Ayla could hear nothing. She was alone. Beginning to panic, Ayla felt a dull throb in the back of her head and reached back to rub the spot.

_God damn I'd sell my body for some Tylenol right now_.

The thought of her body caused Ayla to look down. Her surprise at finding herself in this strange place only grew at the discovery that she was wearing completely unfamiliar clothes. Brand new sneakers replaced her usually dirty shoes, and a short, light-blue skirt had taken the place of her baggy jeans. She was no longer wearing a black t-shirt, but rather a white, thin-strap tank top. Her hair, normally unceremoniously pulled back in some type of bun, now hung loose around her shoulders.

Ayla was mortified at the look. She usually tried to hide her skin, not show it off like this outfit so clearly did. But realizing that there were far more concerning problems than her style, Ayla returned her focus to the setting.

_Alright time to make my way out of this... Forest? Jungle? Either way I need to find out where I am, and where the nearest bus station is. I have no idea how I got here, but to be honest... I couldn't care less. My head is killing me and taking a long sleep at home sounds fantastic right now._

With no prior experience in navigation, Ayla simply chose a direction and started walking, hoping she'd come out in civilization.

**.oOo.**

Gasping for breath, Ayla stopped and leaned up against a tree.

"Fuck... This... Forest," she managed to pant out, as she slid towards the ground.

After almost an hour of stumbling over logs, jumping across streams, and crawling under low branches, Ayla was on the verge of passing out. She was thinking she may just do that before her eyes caught something in the near distance. Leaning forward, Ayla could make out a gap in the trees, not forty feet ahead. Muttering a sarcastic thank you to whatever gods controlled this infernal forest, an exhausted Ayla dragged herself back up to her feet.

As she got closer to the opening, Ayla could make out what appeared to be a large pathway winding its way through a clearing in the forest. Slowly wobbling way out onto the path, Ayla let out a scream as she was almost hit by a large object. Falling onto her backside, Ayla took a couple seconds to calm her breathing.

"Sorry!" yelled the quickly-fading voice of the cyclist.

Ayla had no time to be mad as she cared more about finding her way home.

"Hey wait! Where am I?!" Ayla shouted back.

A soft "Route 2!" came floating back before the cyclist exited her range of hearing.

Ayla couldn't help but blink._ Route 2? What the heck does that even mean? Don't these streets have names?_

Frustrated with the lack of help, Ayla looked up and down the path, trying to catch sight of either a building or another person. Preferably one who wouldn't try to run her over. Finding neither, Ayla simply decided that her only real option was to follow the cyclist.

As Ayla made her way down this path, happy that she was no longer surrounded by trees, she tried to figure out just what had happened to her. She struggled to piece together what was turning into an incredibly challenging puzzle.

_The last thing I remember was booting up that DS. There were some lights and music and... Shoot... Nothing after that. How did I get here though? Sam's house seemed abandoned. Maybe his parents came home and brought me here? No that's stupid. Why would they dump a 14 year old girl in the middle of a forest after changing my clothes? Wait... Did someone see me naked? _

Groaning, Ayla face-palmed hard enough to turn her forehead a dark shade of red.

"Just what I needed. I'm lost and alone in God-knows-where, and now I just realized some pervert stole all my clothes. And gave me nice new ones I guess... But still! This day really can't get much worse, can it?" she thought aloud.

Ayla paused. _I just jinxed myself so hard. Something bad is most definitely going to-_

Interrupting her thoughts, a loud buzzing sound filled the air. Ayla pivoted, trying to find the source?

_A helicopter? Thank God I must be close to a city. Guess I didn't jinx myself after all._

Looking in the direction of the buzzing, Ayla squinted. Suddenly her eyes opened in horror as she spotted the real source of the buzzing: A massive black and yellow cloud exploded out of the forest to her right, headed straight towards the young girl.

"Spoke too damn soon, didn't I?"

Thinking quickly, Ayla turned and bolted into the forest on the other side of the path. Not daring to turn around, she leapt over logs and rocks trying to stay ahead of her pursuers. Branches and leaves whipped past her face. She didn't stop running for 15 minutes, terrified by this mysterious cloud. The sound of her breathing drowned out everything else, and she couldn't tell if she was still being followed. Her lungs heaving, Ayla risked a glance backwards. The cloud was just as close as when she first started and showed no signs of letting up.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS THING?!" Ayla yelled out as she approached another log. Preparing to jump, she lengthened her stride and leaned forward. Unfortunately, her foot was swept out from beneath her by a low-hanging branch, sending the fleeing girl tumbling head-first into the log. Dazed by the impact, Ayla couldn't move as the cloud finally descended upon her. She heard someone nearby call out, but the disoriented teenager was quickly approaching unconsciousness. Fading into darkness, Ayla could barely picture out a stream of bubbles swiftly materializing in front of the cloud, shielding her from an almost surely painful end.

**.oOo.**

Ayla lay unmoving on the ground while her senses slowly returned. She knew her hearing was fine, as the sound of a light breeze made its way to her ears. Blinking, she saw a blue sky with a few scattered clouds.

_Morning? How long was I out?_ Groaning, Ayla stood up and rubbed the back of her head.

"What I'd do for a Tylenol right now... With all these blackouts, I think this headache might be permanent," she grumbled out loud.

"Well I don't know what 'Tylenol' is, but I've got some Persim berries that might help if you'd like?"

Ayla's eyes widened. Trying to find the source of the voice, she quickly spun around. A sharp pain shot through her left ankle, and Ayla cried out as she was brought down to her knees.

"Easy now! That first spill was bad enough. Don't make it any worse," came the voice.

As the pain faded, Ayla looked up to see a young girl approaching her. The newcomer leaned down and gently placed a hand on Ayla's injured ankle. Ayla flinched as she felt pain course through her.

"We need to get you to a center, but it doesn't look like you're going to be doing much walking. I can try craft a makeshift crutch for you, but it'll take a couple hours to build a sturdy one. It's a long walk from here to the closest help."

Ayla simply nodded. The confidence radiating from this young girl was unlike anything Ayla was used to. She couldn't help but just watch as her mysterious savior gathered supplies from the nearby trees. Ayla tried to think of something to say. She was unused to such kindness from someone she'd only just met, and was having trouble figuring out how to start a conversation. She eventually just blurted out something that had been bothering her for awhile:

"Where exactly am I?"

The girl paused from her searching and turned back towards Ayla.

"Route 2," she replied.

_There it is again with that 'Route 2' crap. Who do I need to talk to in order to find out a street name?_

Ayla sighed and looked down at her ankle. It was swollen and red, but didn't appear to be broken.

"We're about an hour north of Viridian City," called the girl, still rummaging around in the underbrush.

Ayla's ears perked up at that.

_That sounds so familiar! Now we're getting somewhere. But... I can't place it. I need a map._

Looking at the girl, Ayla asked if she had a map that she'd be able to look at.

"I did, but I lost it when I saw you being chased. I had been examining it when I heard the buzzing sound and knew what was coming. I dropped it and haven't been able to find it since."

Ayla was getting more annoyed by the second.

_Literally nothing is going my way right now_._ But at least she has some information about what the heck was following me._

She was about to ask exactly that when a strong, painful throbbing returned to the back of her head.

_God dammit! Where's the nearest Rite Aid? Wait... Didn't this girl say she had something that would help?_

Luckily the girl was on her way back and Ayla asked her if she had anything for the headache.

"Yeah I've got some Persim berries. They should help relieve the pain."

_Persim berries? Is she some kind of hippie? I've heard of these berries before I think. Maybe on TV...? I don't know, but if it helps, I don't really care where they're from._

Taking the offered fruit, Ayla popped them in her mouth. Almost instantly the throbbing started to fade.

"Wow these are incredible!" Ayla exclaimed with a grin.

Seeing Ayla flash such a wide smile brought a small patch of heat to the girl's cheeks, and she quickly looked away to avoid bringing attention to it. Ayla barely heard the soft, "You're welcome" that came afterwards.

Ignoring the sudden change in tone, Ayla continued to chew on the berries. She took the opportunity to see where she had ended up. The familiar forest created a dark, green wall to her left, and seemed to block out all traces of sunlight. Turning the other direction, Ayla spotted what appeared to be a small lake in the distance, glittering in the bright sunlight. Grass fields stretched in the other two directions, creating an almost hidden meadow.

Tossing the last berry into her waiting mouth, Ayla thought back to how she ended up here.

_I still need to find out what was chasing me and how to stay out of its way. With this bum ankle I'd have no shot of outrunning them. It was a miracle I happened to stumble upon this girl. Got to ask for her name soon._

Ayla returned her focus to the girl that had saved her. She was bent over a couple thick branches that she'd collected, and was trying to figure out a way to tie them together using vines.

Seeing her pause to wipe the sweat from her brow, Ayla took the opportunity to put forth a few more questions.

"So can you tell me what was chasing me? I don't want to run into it again," she started.

The girl looked over at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't know what was attacking you? Wow it must be nice to come from a place without having to worry about those kinds of attacks. They're a pain to deal with. Stupid beedrills. They've gotten more fierce recently. Don't know what's causing it."

Ayla didn't hear the last two sentences. Her mind had frozen on the word _beedrills_.

"You mean bees, right? That was some kind of... mutant, killer bee-swarm?"

The girl chuckled, returning to the crutch.

"I wish. Bees are easy to manage. Beedrills are a massive annoyance, and deadly if not handled correctly. It's usually best to just run, but sometimes they'll refuse to give up. I'm not sure what you did to provoke them, but they looked seriously angry at you."

Heart pounding, Ayla tried to make sense of what was happening.

_This is insane... I must still be dreaming. Ouch! Ok pinching doesn't work. Guess I'm not dreaming. Maybe she's just a little crazy. But she doesn't look crazy! And she's helping me so I can't exactly just run away. Stupid ankle. Stupid beedrills. What am I thinking? Beedrills aren't real. But it would make sense... No stop thinking like that! But... It really does make sense. God it's like all the puzzle pieces are suddenly coming to me. Viridian City is a place from the games. There are routes connecting all the cities. The berries she gave me cure confusion in Pokémon, so it's plausible they'd help headaches in humans... Unbelievable. I've somehow managed to travel to the world of Pokémon. I can't believe this is actually happening! I don't fell scared though, just... Excited? Happy? This could be a fresh start in a new world. A better world. Is this what you meant by a new life Sam? Is this the project you were working on? Is this why you gave me that DS?_

Calming her heavy breathing, Ayla looked up at the girl. She realized that if it were true - if she'd actually somehow managed to wind up in the Pokémon world - there wasn't much she could do at the moment. She's have to rely on this girl who'd saved her and taken her in, without even knowing Ayla's name. This prompted a new thought for Ayla; she still didn't know this girl's name.

"Hey... Thank you for saving me. I would've been in serious trouble if you hadn't come along, and I don't even know who you are. And you don't know who I am," Ayla chuckled. "My name is Ayla. Ayla Owens. It's nice to meet you, and sorry for not introducing myself earlier."

"No need to worry! Always happy to help someone in trouble," the girl smiled. She brushed a long, blue lock of hair out of her face. "My name is Dawn. Dawn Berlitz."


	3. Chapter 3: Revelations

**Author's Note**

Here's Chapter 3 you guys. Thanks for reading. I genuinely enjoy reading your reviews as well as the personal messages you all send. Keep it up. It inspires me to write more :)

Enjoy the chapter! It's a short one, but I think the next one will be pretty long so I want to split it up at a good moment.

* * *

Ayla was still reeling from the discovery that she'd been teleported into a video game. It had been a couple hours since her introduction to Dawn, and Ayla was lying on her back, trying to ignore the pain in her ankle by watching the sun descend behind the tree line. Dawn herself was still working on the makeshift crutches, but continued to have trouble completing the second one.

"Dammit" sighed Dawn.

"Still struggling with the crutch?" Ayla asked.

Dawn nodded in confirmation. "I wish Brock was here. He totally would have been able to make this for you. I'm not much of a craftswoman." Her stomach gave a loud rumble and she blushed. "He'd also have some delicious food. I'm starving."

Ayla felt bad that Dawn was doing all of this for her while she just laid on her back.

"Hey Dawn. I can tell the crutches are giving you a hard time. Is the... the Pokémon center too far away for me to just lean on your shoulder until we get there? I'd only need the one crutch in that case." The idea that a Pokémon center actually existed threw her off for a second.

Dawn thought about it for a second before turning to Ayla with a smile.

"I think that could work. It's getting dark though. We should spend the night here and then make our way to the Pokémon center in the morning. This is a good, open area and I don't want to be wandering through this forest at night." Dawn walked over to her bag and began pulling out supplies.

Ayla watched her pull out the pieces to a tent and start assembling it. Once complete, Dawn reached back into her backpack and pulled out a sleeping bag. She tossed it inside the tent before turning to Ayla.

"Don't you want to start unpacking?"

Ayla shook her ahead. "I don't have anything. I wasn't really expecting to be camping anytime soon. Can't say I'm really prepared for the outdoors."

The bluenette walked over to Ayla and laid down on the grass beside her.

"Guess you aren't. Care to explain why you were running through the Viridian Forest with an angry pack of beedrill behind you?"

Ayla chuckled. "I feel like you wouldn't believe me if I gave you the full story. You'd probably pack up in the middle of the night and get as far away from me as possible."

This provoked a laugh from Dawn. Watching the girl smiled caused Ayla to start giggling, and suddenly she couldn't stop. Dawn stared for a second before joining it. The amusement was contagious. Roaring with laughter, the two girls sat in the grass clutching their sides.

A bright flash from Dawn's bag brought Ayla's giggling to a sudden halt. As the light faded, she stared in amazement at the small, blue penguin that stood before her. The penguin stared back. Neither moved a muscle as Ayla's mouth dropped.

_Right. Pokémon. Keep forgetting that. Better get used to it I guess._

Ayla shook her head and smiled at the Pokémon. "And you are?"

The little Pokémon simply stared for a few seconds before unleashing a torrent of bubbles at Ayla. She screamed and quickly rolled over, narrowly dodging the attack.

"Piplup!" Dawn yelled. "What are you doing?! She didn't do anything to you!"

"Piplup pip!"

Dawn frowned. "Well just because her laughing woke you up doesn't mean you can attack her! You need to apologize."

Piplup turned to Ayla. "Pip..."

Ayla couldn't be mad at the tiny Pokémon. "Don't worry about it. I'm cranky when I don't get enough sleep as well." She reached over and scratched Piplup's, running her fingers through the thick down. The penguin gave a small sigh, and laid down. Leaned up against Ayla's leg, he quickly fell back asleep.

Looking at Dawn, Ayla couldn't help but smile. She felt tears at the corners of her eyes, but they were brushed away.

"I guess it is true. I'm really here. Pokémon exist"

Dawn gave her a confused look. "What do you mean? Of course Pokémon exist"

"I guess now would be a good time to tell you my whole story. But promise me you won't think I'm crazy. It's all true and a I really need someone here with me. I'd be in serious trouble without you," Ayla said, quickly grabbing Dawn's hand. "I need you to believe me."

Dawn's eyes widened at the contact, but she hurriedly regained her composure. "Of course. Let me set up a fire first though. It's getting dark."

As her blue-haired friend walked around gathering firewood, Ayla thought about the story she was about to tell Dawn.

_If someone told me this tale, I wouldn't believe them. I'd think they were absolutely nuts! Thankfully, Dawn seems to be trusting. It's a miracle she was the one to find me. I really need to do something to thank her once my ankle is fixed._

Dawn crouched down and began placing logs. After pulling some matches out of her bag, a roaring fire soon stood in the middle of the campsite. Sitting down close to Ayla, Dawn looked over expectantly. Ayla took a deep breath and started to tell her tale.

**.oOo.**

By the time she was finished, the sun had long since set. The only light came from the fire in the center, which cast a warm glow on the surrounding area.

Ayla had started from the very beginning. Her mom, the new school, the desolation, and Sam. From there she moved on to her newfound friendship, the end of said friendship, and the discovery of her birthday gift. Dawn had a hard time understanding the concept of Pokémon being a video game, but in the end simply accepted it. She said there'd be time later to explain and motioned for Ayla to continue on with the story. Ayla told her about her disappearance from Earth, her discovery of a "new" world, and the journey through the Viridian forest being chased by beedrills. When she reached the part about being saved by Dawn, her voice trailed off, realizing that was the end of her story. She had opened up to Dawn completely - more than she had intended to. Ayla just felt something with Dawn that wasn't used to feeling, and she wanted to trust the girl who had saved her.

_Crap that went on way longer than I thought it would._ Ayla hadn't looked at Dawn for most of the story. She didn't want to be interrupted and simply kept talking save for a few brief interjections. She looked over at Dawn to see how she was reacting to the conclusion.

The bluenette's head was down and she appeared to be deep in thought. Ayla couldn't read the expression on her face, and leaned closer to see if Dawn was ok. She jerked her head back as Dawn's snapped up.

A smile slowly grew across Dawn's face as she looked at Ayla's worried expression.

"I believe you."

Ayla let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in.

"You do? But it sounds absolutely insa-"

Dawn cut her off with a small wave. "I've been through some pretty crazy stuff even though I'm only 14. And besides: you sounded honest and I trust you."

"That... means a lot actually. Thank you Dawn. But I am seriously worn out right now. We should get some sleep if we're going to be walking to a Pokémon center tomorrow," Ayla replied.

Nodding, Dawn rose to her feet and headed towards her tent. As she started unzipping the flap, she paused and turned back to Ayla. "Shoot. You still don't have a place to sleep, do you?"

"Don't worry about it. This isn't the first time I've slept outside," Ayla said with a chuckle.

Dawn still didn't move though. "You could... um... share my tent with me? she said softly. She hurriedly added "If you want to of course!"

Ayla was surprised. Not at the fact that she'd be sleeping so close to another girl, but at the fact that Dawn had offered. She'd had plenty of sleepovers with friends before she'd moved, but Ayla had only just met Dawn. She wasn't going to turn down the offer though. It was getting incredibly cold outside.

"Thank you, that's very generous." Ayla stood up slowly, her left leg wavering. Dawn picked up the sleeping Piplup and brought him into the tent. After giving Dawn a couple minutes, she hobbled over to the entrance and sluggishly crawled in.

Dawn had already changed into pajamas and was currently unzipping her sleeping bag completely. She then unfurled the bag and spread it out like a blanket. Ayla watched as she made her way underneath the sleeping bag and laid down.

_Smart. I wouldn't have had a problem just sharing the sleeping bag though._

Shrugging, Ayla climbed under after her. She decided to keep her clothes on; she trusted Dawn and didn't have a problem removing clothes in front of her, but thought it would be easier to keep warm with them on.

The two girls laid motionless next to each other for a few moments before shifting into comfortable positions. After a long day for both girls, they quickly dropped off into deep sleeps.


	4. Chapter 4: Help

**Author's Note - PLEASE READ**

Sorry for the long wait. I was out of the country for a few weeks and then moving around for college. I'm settled now and should be able to continue the story. Updates will be very slow as I'm not sure how busy I will be, but I'll do my best to update as often as possible.

On a related note, it's been so long since I last wrote that I've completely forgotten my plans for this story! If anyone has an idea for a character, story arc, Pokémon, or anything really, I'd love to hear it. Shoot me a private message - I read and respond to each and every one.

That's all for now, and enjoy chapter 4 of the story!

* * *

Bright light streaming through the tent screen brought Ayla out of her slumber. Blinking herself awake, she gazed up at the cloth roof. Ayla laid motionless, simply enjoying the softness of the sleeping bag, the glow of the sun, and the warmth of being held by-

_Wait what?_ Ayla's eyebrows raised as she looked over and saw Dawn's face a mere inches from her. The young bluenette was still sleeping, and Ayla guessed she must have rolled over in her sleep. Dawn's eyes flitted beneath her eyelids, signaling that she was still dreaming. Her chest slowly rose and fell with every breath. After watching for a few moments, Ayla tried to lift Dawn's arm off of her own chest. She was unsuccessful as Dawn unconsciously gripped harder at Ayla.

Sighing, Ayla resigned herself to simply waiting until her friend had woken up. She thought about her situation and everything that had happened.

_Well... I guess it could be worse. I'm pretty content right now, and not in any danger. I think. Guess we'll find out today._ She continued to reminisce about her most recent events. The thought of Sam still saddened her, but she knew that she couldn't dwell on the fact that he was gone. There were more pressing issues at the moment, such as what her plan for the future was.

She was interrupted by Dawn stirring. Ayla watched as she slowly opened her eyes and stared ahead, not comprehending what was going on.

"Morning Dawn. You okay?" Ayla asked

"Uhhh yeah... good... nap..." she responded sleepily, letting out a yawn.

Ayla chuckled. "Well before you fall back asleep, would you mind releasing me?"

After taking a couple moments to process the request, a red-faced Dawn shot out of the sleeping bag and away from Ayla.

"Sorry sorry I have a habit of doing that sorry it used to drive Piplup crazy so he stopped sleeping next to me sorry I wasn't trying to pull anything honest sorry..." Dawn rambled on, not stopping to breathe as she tried to explain herself.

Ayla's eyes widened. _Geez it's not that big of a deal. She's acting like I caught her trying to take my clothes off. Wonder what her issue is?_

"Relax Dawn! It's okay! You were asleep. There's absolutely no reason whatsoever to freak out like this!" Ayla grabbed Dawn to stop her barrage of apologies.

This was enough to calm Dawn down. She gave a smile and a nod of thanks in response to Ayla's words and began packing up her belonging. Ayla, already dressed from the previous day, made her way outside to give Dawn some privacy. She limped over to a log and gingerly sat down, stretching out her injured leg.

Ayla couldn't have asked for a better morning to finally begin her real journey in this new world. The cloudless, blue sky overhead combined with a brightly shining sun were postcard perfect. A light breeze blew through the trees, causing the leaves to rustle and grass to sway. Off in the distance, the blue lake Ayla had noticed yesterday glittered in the sun, enticing Ayla to go for a swim.

_If it weren't for my leg, I'd be making my way over there right now._ But Ayla wasn't upset. She took a deep breath and basked in the sun. She was genuinely content for the first time since she'd arrived here from Earth, and didn't want to lose the moment.

A rustling from the tent brought Ayla's attention back to Earth (if you could even call it that), and she glanced over to see Dawn emerging from the entrance. She was wearing the same outfit as yesterday, and Ayla guessed that it was her everyday attire. Perched atop her head was a white beanie, contrasting with her dark blue hair. A pink scarf was wrapped around her neck, and a black and white vest covered her upper body. She had no sleeves, leaving her arms bare. Her lower body was nothing but a small, pink skirt which showed off a pair of creamy, white legs. Black knee-socks and pink boots completed the picture. It was Ayla's first good look at Dawn, and she couldn't help but feel a twang of jealousy. Ayla thought Dawn was absolutely gorgeous. Combined with her confidence, Dawn would have had no trouble attracting the guys back at Ayla's old school. Ayla looked down at herself, noting that her tank top and blue skirt had gotten incredibly dirty. Her hair was a mess and she was sure her face didn't look much better. Seeing Dawn step out of her tent looking beautiful didn't help Ayla's mood.

"You ready to go?" Dawn asked, snapping Ayla out of her brooding.

Nodding, Ayla stood up and made her way over to Dawn. She did her best to help pack up their supplies, but having only one usable leg slowed her down quite a bit. But it didn't take long for the tent and sleeping bag to get packed away, and for the fire's ashes to be stomped out. Ayla picked up the one completed crutch and shifted it under her left arm. Reaching her right arm out, Ayla let Dawn maneuver herself underneath. With her left arm on a crutch and her right around Dawn, Ayla could effectively "walk". They'd be going at a much slower rate, but by sundown they should be able to make it to the nearest Pokémon center. The two made their way back into the forest.

"It'll be tricky getting through these woods with this crutch, but if my memory is correct, the path isn't far. Once we get there we should make good pace to Viridian City," Dawn commented.

_Viridian City huh? Don't really remember what's there from the games. Guess we'll find out soon enough._

Dawn noticed the look on Ayla's face. "What are you thinking about?"

"Hm? Oh I'm just trying to remember what was in Viridian City from my video games."

Dawn frowned as she lapsed into thought. Ayla stayed silent to give her some time to think.

The going was incredibly slow. Every time the pair reached a log or rock, it would take a couple minutes to maneuver their way around it or over it. Ayla winced with every step. She knew that she'd never be able to make it without Dawn's help and felt incredibly grateful to her.

Ayla looked down at the bluenette her arm was wrapped around. She was still thinking, trying to remember what they would encounter in Viridian City.

"There isn't much that I remember. A couple houses, a Pokémon center, and a school. When we make it to the path, we'll be on Route 2. It leads directly to Viridian City, and once we're there, we'll get you to the Pokémon center for your leg. After that... well we'll figure out what to do when that time arrives."

_What to do...? What can I do? Where do I go? Where do I get money? How do I get home? Can I even get home? Do I even want to go home?_

The last question made Ayla pause. She really didn't know whether or not she wanted to go home, but wasn't given much time to think about it before Dawn spoke up.

"Hey! There's the path!" she yelled, pointing forwards.

Sure enough, through a gap in the trees, was a light-brown, dirt path. The two girls quickly made their way out of the forest and took in the sight around them.

Much larger than the last path Ayla had been on, there was enough space for a car to travel down.

"Maybe somebody will pass by and pick us up?" Ayla thought aloud.

"It's definitely possible," replied Dawn. "There are often people traveling along these routes willing to help. But let's keep moving. If we want to get to Viridian by sundown, we'll need to pick up the pace."

Now out of the forest, the two girls began the trek towards Viridian City. They were lucky enough to receive optimal weather for traveling; Sunny with a few clouds and a soft breeze to keep them cool. With tall trees on either side, the road wound its way toward Viridian. Using the crutch was easier now that their feet weren't being dragged down by foliage and rocks, but they still weren't able to move very quickly and Dawn noticed this. Only an hour after leaving the forest, Dawn slowed to a halt.

Confused, Ayla asked what was wrong.

"I don't think we're going to get there in time. We'll be traveling in the dark and vulnerable to any wild Pokémon attacks. We can keep walking, but keep an eye out for a place to stop. We may have to set up camp out here again. I'd hoped to have reached Viridian City by tonight but I don't think it's possible at this pace."

Ayla nodded. She was incredibly grateful to Dawn for sticking with her this entire time. She was literally being carried by the young bluenette.

"Thank you again Dawn. You're a serious lifesaver. I'll keep an eye out for a place to spend the night."

"That may not be necessary," Dawn replied with a smile. She pointed at something over Ayla's shoulder.

Ayla turned to look and identified a large dust cloud billowing a few hundred feet behind them. She hadn't heard the approaching vehicle whatsoever, and probably wouldn't have even noticed it until it was too late if Dawn hadn't pointed it out.

_Just another thing I have to thank Dawn for. This is becoming a bad habit. I'm going to owe her so many favors after this._

Ayla and Dawn stepped off of the road and began waving their arms, hoping that whoever was driving the vehicle would see them and also be kind enough to offer a ride. The answer appeared almost instantaneously as the vehicle began slowing. Now close enough to be properly examined, Ayla could see that it was a jeep. She could only observe a driver - it didn't look like anyone else was in the car.

_Good. So there should definitely be enough space for Dawn, me, and my screwed up ankle. Hopefully this guy isn't some creep. But if he's even half as nice as Dawn I think we'll be fine. _

The jeep pulled up alongside the girls and stopped. The driver's side door opened and out stepped a large man carrying a brown book bag. A brown beard framed a square, smiling face. Wearing a white lab coat, he towered over the girls and peered down at them.

"You looked like you were struggling over here! Need a ride?" The man's voice boomed causing both of the girls to jump.

Ayla and Dawn looked at one another thinking the same thing. The man looked and sounded friendly, but accepting a ride from a stranger could be incredibly risky. After considering it for a moment, Dawn gave a small shake of her head.

"Thanks, but we should be fine just the two of-"

The man chuckled. "Smart not to accept a ride from someone you just met. I won't push you, but you can certainly trust me. My name's Professor Birch, and I'm here to visit Professor Oak in Pallet Town."

The name meant nothing to Ayla, but Dawn's eyes widened upon hearing this new information.

"Professor Birch! Of course. Now I recognize you - I've seen you on television. We'd greatly appreciate a ride. My name is Dawn, and my injured friend here is Ayla. We're trying to get to Viridian City so she can see Nurse Joy."

"Well you definitely won't get there anytime soon on that thing," Professor Birch grinned, pointing at the makeshift crutch under Ayla's right arm.

Annoyed at the newcomer's criticism of Dawn's crutch, Ayla gave a sharp retort. "It was working perfectly fine. Dawn did an amazing job and I know it would've gotten me to Viridian City!"

Dawn blushed furiously at the compliment and looked down at her feet as Professor Birch's booming laugh sounded again.

"I wasn't criticizing - It actually looks very well made considering the lack of supplies you two have. The reason you wouldn't have made it to Viridian anytime soon is that the road is under repairs. You would've had to walk all the way around the construction, adding perhaps another day to your walk. But in my jeep I can get you there tonight."

Now it was Ayla's turn to blush - in shame rather than gratitude.

_Dammit what am I doing? He literally just offered us a ride, and now I'm giving him lip. I guess people in the Pokémon world are just naturally nicer than those on Earth. _

"Sorry... I think I'm just a little tired from limping all the time. We'd love a ride, thank you very much," Ayla quietly replied with her head down.

Professor Birch chuckled. "Not a problem. That injury looks pretty bad though. We should get you to a center as soon as possible."

Without waiting for a response, the professor crouched down and swept Ayla off her feet, causing the girl to yelp in surprise. Turning around, he gently placed Ayla in the back seat of the jeep. Making sure to not hurt her, he slowly lifted Ayla's injured leg and laid it out across the seat. The soft leather contorted around Ayla, bringing relief to her sore body. She let out a sigh of content as Dawn made her way into the passenger's seat. Within moments, the rumbling of the jeep's engine floated through the air as the trio started off towards Viridian City.

Compared to their earlier traveling rate, the girls may as well be at light speed now. Professor Birch didn't believe in gradual speed increases or even speed limits in general. The jeep bounced along the dirt road at over 100 mp/h [AN: 160 km/h for my non-American readers]. As the wind whistled through their hair, Dawn and the professor began discussing their individual plans.

"So what are you doing in Kanto, Professor? I thought you were from the Hoenn region?" Dawn started.

"I am, but there have been some troubling developments in the Pokémon world recently. Professor Oak asked me to meet him in Pallet Town for an urgent meeting. I can tell you about that later on. How about you though? What were you and Ayla doing out on Route 2, especially with that injured ankle?"

Dawn turned around to look at Ayla, unsure of how much information to tell the professor. He was certainly trustworthy, but was Ayla comfortable with sharing her personal with him?

After thinking about it for a moment, Ayla nodded to Dawn.

_I can't really hide anything. It'll be fairly obvious to most people that I'm not from around here after talking to me for a couple minutes. Might as well be honest from the start._

She turned to look out at the passing scenery as Dawn relayed Ayla's story. The thick trees of the Viridian forest still blocked out most of the outside world, but now that she wasn't stuck scrambling through it, the forest was actually quite beautiful. Shades of green, orange, and brown filled her eyes as the trees flew past her. Living in a city back on Earth, she didn't often get to see views like this. Multiple times she saw Dawn turn back to look at her during the retelling, but Ayla simply looked away. Her ankle had begun throbbing again and was in neither the condition nor the mood to converse.

But as the jeep moved off the dirt path and onto paved roads, the jolting stopped and Ayla was able to relax in the back seat. Laying on her back, she stared up into the blue sky. A wave of exhaustion washed over her and she quickly fell asleep as Professor Birch brought the two girls closer and closer to Viridian City.


	5. Chapter 5: Developments

**Author's Note - PLEASE READ**

Well I guess I'm back? Not sure if I'm in this for the long run, but I feel like I should give somewhat of an update considering it's been like 9 months since my last update. I'd suggest going back and reading the other 4 chapters if you've forgotten what's going on. I had to haha. I'll try my best to pick up from where I left off, but no promises the material will be as good. I'm no English major ya'know. Anyways. Enjoy!

Side note: Even though I wasn't writing, I still read all the PMs that were sent to me since last June. Keep up the feedback – it means a lot to the writers!

* * *

Professor Birch's Jeep continues to bounce along the path at a heart-pounding pace, leaving Dawn to wonder what injuries she'd receive before making it to the Pokémon Center. Glancing into the back seat, she saw that Ayla's eyes were closed. Dawn gave a small smile as she watched her new friend sleep.

"That's quite an interesting story you've just told me."

Dawn jumped at Birch's comment and quickly turned back around.

Without looking at her, Birch kept talking.

"I find it very hard to believe. Being transported to another world? Sounds like something out of a fantasy story. Assuming that it's true, which I'm not saying I think it is, why her? How did it happen? And more importantly, what is she going to do now? In all my research I've never encountered something like this, and I don't think that Oak or any of the other professors have either. I highly doubt that she's going to find a way back home anytime soon, if at all."

All of this was very true, and Dawn had been thinking of what her next move was going to be for a little while now. She couldn't just abandon Ayla. Even if she thinks that this world was a video game, she couldn't go around acting like it was.

Seeing a frown forming on Dawn's face, Professor Birch chuckled.

"The way I see it, there are a couple options. After treating her, you could leave her in the care of Nurse Joy, who will at some point have to drop her off at the orphanage. She's still essentially a child, even at 14 years old. I get the feeling that she'd be very opposed to that, considering she doesn't seem like the type who would be fine in an orphanage. I feel as if she's gone through quite a bit and needs to be around people who will look after her."

He paused and glanced down at Dawn. The young blunette seemed lost in thought, but nodded for the professor to continue.

"This brings me to the second option: Take her with you. Teach her about this world and help her adapt. Since she's likely to be here for some time, I'm sure she'd appreciate someone to help her get accustomed to this new world. And if you aren't interested in taking her with you, since I'm assuming you are on your own journey, at least teach her enough about the region to ensure that she stays safe."

Dawn nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't mind bringing Ayla with me. I… I think that I would really like to spend more time with her actually. I'm always happy to help, and I can tell there's something special about her. She's tough, and smart, and friendly, and really pretty too…"

Her voice trailed off as she noticed Professor Birch looking down at her with an amused smiled. Dawn blinked a couple times before stammering out a flustered justification. The professor was too busy laughing to listen as Dawn blushed even harder.

"What's going on?" came a groggy voice from the backseat.

Dawn's eyes widened and she spun around.

"I-I was just telling Professor Birch about how Piplup fired a bubblebeam at you when the two of you first met and he thought it was very funny. Isn't that right Professor?"

Seeing the dangerous glint in Dawn's eyes, Birch quickly confirmed and went back to staring at the road.

Ayla simply smiled and leaned forward to look out the Jeep's windshield. As the vehicle bounced over another hill, a small city appeared on the other side.

"There it is! Maybe another 15 minutes until we're at the Pokémon Center," Birch said.

With simultaneous sighs, Ayla and Dawn leaned back into their seats as the first leg of their journey came to a close.

**.oOo.**

"Well that should do it for now!" beamed the pretty – and very pink – nurse.

After arriving in Viridian City, Birch dropped Dawn and Ayla off at the Pokémon Center saying he'd be back tomorrow. He informed them that there was something he needed to pick up from a friend of his who lived in town. Following some quick introductions with the main nurse at the center, Ayla found herself on top of an examination table. The pink-haired nurse was just putting the finishing touches on a wrap.

Nurse Joy stood up and admired her handy work. "You're lucky that is was just a sprain. This bandage, some painkillers, and a good night's rest should be enough to get you back on your feet! Would you like me to take your Pokémon so I can treat them for any injuries?"

"Um… I don't have any Pokémon," Ayla responded quietly.

_Why am I upset about that? It's not like I'd ever given it a thought. Maybe though…_

Nurse Joy's beaming smile disappeared for a split second, but neither Dawn nor Ayla noticed.

"Oh, well that's fine Ayla sweetie! Now. Were the two of you planning on spending the night here, or do you have someone you know in town who you could spend the night with?"

"We were planning on staying here," Dawn replied. "We're just stopping here for a day or two on our way South."

"In that case, let me take you to your room. We're very open at the moment. In fact we're almost never busy. Our town is small and out of the way, so we don't often get too many travelers. Especially recently"

"But there's a gym here! Don't you often have trainers come by hoping to get a badge? I feel like any city with a gym would be at least relatively busy." Dawn was confused, but as she looked around the center, she noticed that it did appear to be quite empty. Usually there would be trainers and Pokémon around, filling the center with noise. But as she glanced around the lobby, she counted no more than 3 trainers with their Pokémon.

Nurse Joy nodded. "It's true. The gym is a very big part of our city, and we often have trainers stopping by. They make up the majority of our tourists in fact. But recently, the flow of trainers has steadily decreased. We're not getting as many Pokémon trainers as usual. It hasn't had a negative impact on the city yet, but at some point the lack of tourist income will start taking its toll on the city."

Ayla and Dawn listened to Nurse Joy as the three of them made their way to the living areas of the Pokémon center. Ayla was hobbling behind with the crutches – not made of wood and vines for once – given to her by Nurse Joy. Being new to this world, she wasn't entirely sure of the situation. She knew from her games that trainers were individuals who moved from gym to gym, hoping to collect enough badges to compete in tournaments as well as against the Pokémon masters.

_That was a video game though. I need to start treating this like real life. These aren't pixels on a screen. These are people. Real, flesh and blood people._

"Anyways, it's not something that I can really concern myself with. I'm just hoping it's a slow season and that the tourism will pick up soon enough!" Nurse Joy exclaimed as they rounded a corner.

_She really is full of energy this one. Thank God there's only one nurse here. I don't think I could manage another one similar to her. _

Dawn and Ayla made eye contact, and, realizing they both had the same thought, covered their mouths to stifle their giggling. After turning another corner, Nurse Joy stopped and opened a door. She led the two girls inside.

"Here's your room for the night. Two beds, one bathroom. I'm going to be heading back to lobby in case any other trainers have shown up. There's a washing machine and dryer around the corner, and a set of pajamas for each of you. I'd suggest doing some laundry before you head out tomorrow."

Both girls blushed and looked down.

_Holy crap we look like we just rolled through a cow pasture. I feel bad for Birch's car. The smell isn't going to come out for weeks._

"Don't be afraid to give me a yell if you need anything!" With a cheery smile and wave, the enthusiastic nurse stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Almost instantly both girls let out large sighs.

"I'm absolutely exhausted," Ayla said. "A long shower and a change of clothes sounds absolutely heavenly right now. Didn't realize how gross I was until just now."

Dawn chuckled. "Seriously though. We might be the reason that trainers have stopped coming to Viridian City – the smell scared them off!"

Both girls laughed as they started to organize their room. Arranging her sheets, Ayla thought back to what Nurse Joy had said about the lack of tourists and trainers recently. Although she didn't know much about how the Pokémon world worked, she had an idea of what might be going on.

"Hey Dawn. What do you think might be the actual reason why trainers have stopped coming? I was just thinking… Do you think it might have some connection to why Professor Oak called Professor Birch all the way out here? I can't say I'm an expert on Pokémon, but these seem like two coincidences that may be tied together somehow."

Dawn looked up from making her bed and stared at Ayla. "I hadn't even thought of that. It's definitely possible. Birch wouldn't be all the way out here for some small reason, and a decline in trainers seems like quite a big issue. We can talk to Birch tomorrow when he stops by the Pokémon Center."

Ayla nodded. "That's a good idea. I'm curious as to what is going on in this town."

"It could really be an issue," Dawn replied. She continued to adjust her sheets as she spoke. "These towns don't have very much business except for what the tourists bring in. I've never been to this town in particular, but in my home region, there are plenty of cities that rely completely on tourism in order to keep its residents from simply packing up and leaving."

"I see. I've actually been meaning to talk to you about that for a little while. I've told you plenty about me, but I really don't know that much about you. If your home is so far away, why exactly are you here?" Ayla laid down on her bed and looked up at Dawn expectantly.

Chuckling, Dawn made her way over to Ayla and sat down beside her.

"I am currently training to become a Pokémon Coordinator. My mother was a Top Coordinator, and my goal is become one, just like her." Seeing a confused look on Ayla's face, Dawn quickly explained what a Coordinator does.

"Sorry Ayla. I keep forgetting you're not from around here."

Ayla giggled. "Well that's an understatement. I'd still like to know what you're doing in this particular area."

Rolling her eyes, Dawn explained. "I was just getting to that! I'm taking a break from my training to visit a close friend of mine. He lives in a little town just a couple miles south of here. I haven't seen him in a long time, and decided that it would be nice to see how he's doing. The two of us are really close, and when we stopped traveling together I was incredibly upset. It'll be nice to catch up and spend some time with him. He's a really great guy."

As Ayla listened, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. "Oh, so he's just a friend of yours? You speak pretty highly of him."

"He's… motivated, and I am always trying to push myself to be as driven as he is. That's probably the best way to describe him." Dawn seemed to find this funny and began giggling to herself."

"So how long have you been interested in him as more than just a friend?" Ayla asked casually, trying to hide the grin that threatened to plaster itself across her face.

"I'd say I realized it maybe a couple months into our journey together. It was around…" Dawn's voice trailed off as she realized what she was talking about. Within seconds her face had turned a bright red and she began yelling at Ayla. The blonde, however, couldn't stop herself from laughing as Dawn simply blushed harder.

"Okay it's not exactly like that! It's more of just a crush. He was always helping me out and pushing me to be better, and it's hard to admire someone who does that for you. I don't think I'd ever pursue him in that way, and… and there might be someone else who I could be interested in." Dawn avoided making eye-contact throughout her entire explanation,and her beet-red complexion had not changed in the slightest.

Ayla wiped the tears of laughter away. "Don't worry about it Dawn, you don't need to tell me anything. It's just nice for me to have a friend I can tease a little bit. I haven't been close with too many people recently, and I appreciate having you around to help me out."

With this, Ayla leaned up and wrapped her arms around Dawn and enveloped her in a tight hug. Dawn's eyes widened at the contact but happily reciprocated.

"No problem Ayla. I'm glad you're here as well. I am absolutely exhausted though. I meant to ask you what you intended to do now that your ankle is healing, but we can talk about it in the morning. Sleep well!" Dawn stood up and made her way over to her own bed. Shutting off the light, she slipped under the covers and was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

Ayla laughed at how quickly her new friend was able to fall asleep. Getting comfortable, she rested her head on the pillow and did her best to relax.

_She does have a good point though. I don't know too much about this world. Where should I go from here? What am I going to do? Should I try finding a way back to my world?_

With these thoughts coursing through her head, Ayla drifted off into sleep.


End file.
